Mirai Precure! (On hiatus or remaking)
by Tokumei-san117
Summary: Ametsuchi Sora was mostly only known as the Student Council President. As if that was not enough,she was suddenly offered to take on another big role. Little did anyone expect her to be so different than others. Too different. And so too was her main role in all of this chaos. A fanseries with an anti-heroine protagonist and a twist of fate!
1. Rise,Guardian of Space and Time!

Uhm,so,hello!

English is not my first language and I have very limited vocabulary so I apologize if my language turns out to be quite bland and dull. Also,I tend to swerve out of point in writing so I apologize for that as well.

In any case,I hope you will like my fanseries!

* * *

 **Episode 1 : Rise,Guardian of Space and Time!**

No matter where she looked up,only huge black clouds could be seen. Lighting would flash repeatedly and everytime it did,gigantic silhouettes would be everywhere. No one could do anything. Neither could she. There was no more hope. The only thing she could do is to beg for her life,besides collapsing and crying.

" _Please,no! You promised to change the world to the way it was! So why-?!_ "

" _ **The world has been changed too many times to be returned to its original state. It needs to be started all over. And for that to happen...**_ "

Her eyes widened when a hand was raised.

No,no,no, _no_.

This could _not_ be happening.

" _No!_ "

" _ **...The corrupted one has to be destroyed.**_ "

The hand gave a single wave,and all hope was gone.

 **\- More than a year ago -**

The girl never knew what to expect out of it. She simply accepted the offer,not even wondering if she would regret all of it. The only thought that was in her mind as she said those words were," _Since I'm bored,I might as well just do this_."

That was when it all began.

* * *

Seventeen-year-old Ametsuchi Sora had always appeared to be carefree and nonchalant at first glance. However,students at Heisei Academy knew better. Not only was she the top student in the school,she was even the Student Council President. The long dark hair,the crimson orbs,the strong aura as she walks by the classrooms - Anyone could tell that it was her. She was respected by both teachers and students alike for her strong leadership and capabilities. Although a person of few words,her voice carried power.

And that was all they knew about her.

No one knew that Sora liked to stay at the riverbank on her way home. Feeling the cool breeze and watching the clouds go by with music playing in her ears was something she did everyday there. There was nothing to bother her - No students,no teachers - Nothing.

Except for that one particular day.

Sora was sure she was just too tired and had started to hallucinate. Or perhaps there were people filming an action movie. Anything besides the fact that it was real. It was hard for her to accept that what was happening infront of her was trouble. How could anyone just assume that a glob monster attacking a middle school boy was something real? There was no such thing as monsters. At least,that was what Sora used to think. Standing at about 17 feet was a black slimy giant rising from the river shouting something Sora thought was along the lines of "Yummy!" or "Yami" as in "darkness". Either way,it certainly looked even more critical when it was baring huge fangs at a raven-haired boy who kept tripping over nothing. Sora could only stand by the side and watch as the scene unfold - Until the boy suddenly turned towards her direction. Sora tensed as thoughts swirled in her head. Where had she seen this scene before? Was it even real? This was only supposed to happen in movies and anime,right? It was like some sort of magical girl situation or -

"What are you doing?!Run away from here!"

The redhead snapped out of her thoughts,blinking as the boy glared at her. There was no need to tell her to run. She wanted to. However,her entire body had frozen on the spot for some reason. She was trembling too,though she could not tell if it was with fright towards the monster or excitement towards the once-in-a-lifetime situation. Without thinking,she found herself shouting back to the boy.

"What about you?That thing seemed quite slow so you should be able to run too!"

"Just go and - _wait_ ,how are you even able to see the _Yami-borei_?"

"The _what_?!"

"Forget it!Just run!"

Sora turned. She was sure she did. However,the next instant she found herself running towards the boy and pulling him up. He almost tripped again,but Sora caught him. Together,they ran up the riverbank. Just when they thought they had a chance for safety,the Yami-borei decided to turn the tables to its side once again. For the first time in ever,Sora screamed the loudest she could as she found herself up about 20 feet in the air with a boy hugging her tightly.

That was when it happened.

A flash of blood-red almost blinded her. The light soon changed to white and suddenly she found herself in a certain empty white space. The boy stood infront of her,holding a certain watch in his hand. It was almost transparent,Sora would not have been able to see it if the boy was not standing close infront of her. Exchanging stares,Sora felt a certain sensation bubbling inside her as she knew what was coming. _Was this nervousness or anticipation?_

"I don't know why it chose you. I've been watching you all this while,and although I think you aren't the best fit for this,I can't go against it. Accepting this would mean that you have to sacrifice many things - The normal school life,your social life,your days of popularity. It might not change much,but I can't say that things would stay the same either. Are you willing to fight?"

Sora's lips immediately curled into a smirk as she held out her hand.

 _Yep,it was definitely anticipation._

"Of course."

 _"Since I'm bored,I might as well do this."_

White light surrounded her as soon as she touched the item. Despite the sound of wind rushing out of nowhere filling her ears,she was able to hear the boy's voice over the noise."You'll know what to do soon!Just don't mess up the process!"

And with that,he was gone.

Staring at the glowing watch,Sora stood as information filled her all at once: from the way to transform to whom she was fighting.

"Up to me to decide,huh?"she muttered to herself."Then..."

As soon as she slipped on the watch,she held up her fist infront of her face,the back of her hand facing outward. The hands of the watch was at a 0 instead of a 12,and it ended with a 100. Her eyes glowed red,and Sora's voice echoed as she spoke.

" _ **Time start**_."

Soon,she found herself in new clothes. Pink ribbons tied her extended now-flame-red hair and around her waist,adorned with a small yellow clock each. Rose pink top covered over a white under-dress which flowed down to a short yet puffy and light skirt. Her palms were almost covered with finger-less gloves which only covered up to the base of her middle fingers. Her thigh high stockings were matched with ankle-high rose pink high-heeled boots that was decorated with the same small clocks and a white wing each. The watch on her wrist had changed into a pink choker with a similar clock,its glow fading quickly.

Standing with new confidence and courage,Sora let her instincts take soon as the space around her had disappeared and she found herself in mid-air once again. Nonetheless,she did not feel frightened the slightest this time. From such a high space,she landed smoothly onto the grass,slowing down to a float right before her feet touched the ground,and she announced herself.

" ** _Past,present,future. Guardian of Space and Time - Cure Decade!_** "

With the information already etched in her mind,Sora was quick to act. As she moved,it looked as though she was defying the flow of time. She disappeared and reappeared with every move,landing punches and kicks onto the monster that was still too confused to retaliate. When it swung its humongous arm to hit her,it simply went through her like water as she responded with a stronger attack.

Never had she ever thought that such a thing could be happening in her life. It was so much fun fighting it.

Sora almost wished that she could do the same thing every single day.

"Quickly use your final attack!"the boy told her from the pavement. He was in awe himself,it took him a while to finally register the entire reality of the situation. Who ever knew that Sora would be good from the start? He knew she had a martial art background,but for her to apply it and fight with such grace...She was indeed something else.

Though,he never knew that she was indeed the odd one out among those "something else".

"Yeah,yeah.I'm getting there." Sora rolled her eyes as she landed a kick to the Yami-borei's head with her heel. She slid back as she landed,holding out a hand as though reaching for an object. Relieving her nerves,she spoke in a calm tone.

" ** _Momentum Blade,ready._** "

Her fingers curled into a fist,and the glow spread to her entire arm. An extension grew beside it,and when the glow faded,a flame-red sword took its place,attached to the side of her arm by two belts. Just like her boots,her Cure weapon was also decorated with wings and a clock. The clock had only one hand,and it started at 10. Instantly,everything around her froze in time.

" ** _Target,set_**."

The clock started ticking.

Everyone else stood helpless as the legendary Cure Decade launched forward with such swift speed,her blade by her side. As she leapt,she shouted,watching her sword glow with flame alive inside the shining metal.

" ** _Go! Precure, Decade Time Stop!_** "

Time moved once again once she hit the ground behind the monster. She did not even turn as the creature before her was split into half,opening a vortex that sucked itself. Sora's Momentum Blade broke into floating glitter as it dissipated into the air,and the girl herself stood proudly as she stared at her reflection in the water. She truly had become something special,huh?

" _ **And now,time starts once again**_."

Little did she know that from a distance,someone else had her eyes on the new Precure. Sky blue eyes peered through the binoculars as she whispered to her companion.

"So that's her?"

"Yep,that's what I said _."_

The girl put her item away,her eyes narrowing as she focused on her target.

"You have finally appeared,Guardian of Space and Time. I'll never let you get away."

Clenching her fist,determination and fury filled her.

"I need to protect this world from you. You'll _never_ be its guardian. That's your destiny."

* * *

Okay,I hope that was good! I kinda rushed through it in the end (due to lack of time) and ended up making it short. Hope I can put up the next one soon. I appreciate reviews and constructive critisicm!


	2. Friend or Foe?

**Episode 2 : Friend or Foe?**

"...dent?President,are you okay?"

Student Council President Sora jolted in her seat as the voice suddenly pulled her back to reality. Realising that she had been staring at a pen she was twirling the entire time,Sora leaned back in her swivel chair as she set down her pen,her gaze peering up to the person infront of her.

A bespectacled girl with short black hair stood nervously infront of Sora's desk. Sora never really minded how shy or timid the girl had always been. As long as she did her duties,it was all settled. And that was exactly what made Sora irritated towards her. She was always pushing herself too much and doing extra work. Pushing one's self to exceed their own limits was fine,but in the girl's case,she was always doing what was unnecessary. That was how Heisei Academy's Student Council Secretary - Kougami Rin - was like.

"Don't mind me. I was just thinking over some personal matters,"Sora told her.

It was the truth. Sora had been thinking about what happened the previous day. Although she knew it was all real,it was still difficult to settle in her mind. After all,who would think that it was possible that magical girls exist? Those were usually just fictions,fantasies,imagination - anything but reality!Seeing things like monsters and magic was one issue,but becoming a magical girl herself was another matter. It was not as though she hated it or anything since her life had become more interesting. It was just troublesome. Being someone who was into shows of such genre as a child,Sora knew what heavy responsibility the role carries.

It was not like taking care of school matters or maintaining order in an area.

This was about stopping an unknown and dangerous force that might possibly destroy her world.

Sora remembered what was explained to her by the boy she had saved. His name was Wakahisa Yuudai,a military general of his world which was called Jigen. Yuudai was just an alias,obviously. In any case,Yuudai had cleared everything he knew with her. The ones they were against were the Yami-borei's who were aiming to change the flow of time to find a timeline where they were the rulers of the world. They need to find a host body to travel to the past,though,and in turn that would be where the summoned Yami-borei came from.

That was the problem.

Who was the host body for yesterday's Yami-borei?What happened after the fight?And who was the one who summoned the Yami-borei?

More questions came up rather than answers.

"President,do I need to settle these too?"

Sora looked over again. Rin was holding a stack of papers with her small and slim hands. The President's eyes narrowed slightly. Out of the blue,she got off her seat and walked over,peeking at the papers. Placing her hand over the other girl's,she found herself leaning over slightly and getting too close.

But people know that Sora's odd antics always had a motive.

"...President,you're making me uncomfortable."

"What did you do yesterday?"

Rin sighed at the question,an action completely unlike her. The girl was never bold enough to even sigh at the President's words,nor would she face away from Sora whenever the latter spoke to her.

"I simply hung out with a new friend after school. Why are you even asking this?"

"One more thing,Kougami."

Sora's thumb rubbed gently onto Rin's wrist before she turned her hand to reveal a mark on her palm. Gasping softly,Rin tensed up in panic,her mouth opening and closing like fish out of water. The mark was almost unnoticeable but obviously not impossible to detect,especially by Sora. A thin red line traced its way from the base of the ring finger down to the wrist where Sora pressed her thumb. There was a minute of silence.

"What this is?"

Another sigh.

"That was just a cut. Please don't mind it,President. You're talking more than usual."

On that note,Sora backed away and picked up her bag that was on the big table. As she reached the door,she turned to her schoolmate. Rin simply gave a reassuring nod before returning to her duties,a typical routine she would do before Sora leaves the school at the end of the day.

Though,this time,the girl never noticed the rare satisfied smile on Sora's face.

* * *

As usual,Sora was simply resting by the same riverbank,partly glad that there were no disturbances this time. As she listened to her favourite classical music on her cellphone, she indulged in the cool breeze that always came at that time and the sight of the sky changing from blue to orange. Slowly,she closed her eyes and found herself dozing off.

And only to be interrupted at the sound of shuffling grass.

Opening an eye,Sora groaned as she realised who her new companion was.

Yuudai simply sat beside the redhead,an obvious scowl on his face."It's not like I want to accompany you here,but since you're the chosen Precure,I have to be with you as much as I can. I'm your partner after all."

"Whatever,"Sora grumbled as she turned over on her side to face him. Yuudai arched a brow as Sora stared at him,and soon a shade of pink was evident on his cheeks. Smirking,Sora decided to tease the boy."You're quite shy with girls after all,hmm?"

"That's not it!"Yuudai denied,looking away."I'm just not used to it,okay?I'm not even human,and my descent here is actually my first time travelling out of my world."

 _Ugh._ That was the only thing that came up in Sora's mind right after that. She knew that Yuudai was actually some sort of thing that could transform into a human. However,when she asked what he was in his true form,he was completely defensive,insistent on not showing his true form to her. And yet he calls himself her _partner_? Just how ironic was that?

"Anyway,I have something to tell you,"Yuudai suddenly added."We need to look for the host as soon as possible."

"Don't want to,"Sora argued,rolling over to the other side."I just want to fight."

Sora could feel Yuudai's piercing gaze on her back. If looks could kill,she would be skewered a million times over in a split second. The thought never bothered her though,for both of them knew that she had an advantage over him - Her role as a Precure.

"You get to fight more monsters later,"Yuudai promised."But first we need to find the host before he or she loses their mind. You need to defeat the monster in the host's past too before it changes completely."

Sora finally stood up. Thinking that Sora had finally given in,he simply followed her as she walked on the pavement. It took him almost half an hour before he realised that they were getting nowhere and she merely had brought him to some neighbourhood.

"What are you doing?"he demanded.

Sora shrugged and tilted her head slightly,urging him to come along.

Yuudai arched a brow. _She really doesn't talk much,does she?_

Nevertheless,he decided to just follow her. In the time he had been watching her,he knew the kind of person she was. It was as if she had three layers of personality. First was the one she always showed at school as the Student Council President. Then,there was the sarcastic and laid-back side of her. However,he knew that it was another cover. He still could not break through it to see her third personality. But for now,he knew he should trust her,although he detested the idea. Sora would never do anything risky without reason,despite her always saying that her excuse was that she was bored.

There was soon the sound of shaking branches,and Yuudai looked up to see Sora climbing a tree that was leaning towards a balcony of someone's house.

...Scratch what he had thought earlier.

"What are you doing?!"

Sora ignored him,leaping from the big branch onto the balcony with a roll. Knowing that his words would not bring her back,Yuudai finally let out a defeated sigh as he climbed up as well. It did not take long before he found himself inside a room. It was really dark due to the black walls and curtains,but he could tell that everything was neat. A study table was at the side near the balcony and beside the wardrobe. Opposite it was a bed.

"...What are we doing here?Seriously,we-HEY!"

Yuudai's managed to lower his voice to a loud whisper. His hands immediately reached out when Sora took out her watch he had given her. That only meant one thing.

" **Time start**."

In a flash,she was already Cure Decade. Managing to let herself out of Yuudai's grasp,Sora grabbed the blanket on the bed and pulled it away,only to realise that there was no one. Sora clicked her tongue in irritation.

"Not here."

Yuudai was about to ask what she meant by that when he found himself being picked up. Trying to push himself away from the girl,Yuudai kept shouting at her. Sora,however,somehow managed to keep him up although she seemed to be struggling slightly.

"You're heavy,"Sora noted.

Yuudai's cheeks turned pink."I'm taller and I'm a boy,so obviously I'd be heavier!Just let me down!Where are we going anyway?"

As usual,Sora did not give any response. Instantly,a landscape of the city was in their view,the sky already darkening. City lights were already seen throughout the area,and the cool wind blew strongly from where they were.

They were on top of the Tokyo Skytree.

Yuudai had to cling onto Sora for his life. One slip-up and she might just drop him. And knowing her personality,he was sure she really might consider doing just that. On the other hand,Sora was surprisingly adapting to her Precure powers quickly. So far,she knew she was able to manipulate time and to teleport,aside from her attacks.

"I've found you,"Sora whispered under her breath,before she teleported without warning again.

* * *

A certain blue-haired girl was walking by the street,carrying a slingbag over her shoulder. Her sky blue eyes scanned the crowd,as though expecting something to attack her. Although it had been a tiring day for her,there was no way she could let her guard down,for any danger could strike at any time.

Right at that moment,she spotted a white light zooming across the sky faster than any comet. It was truly moving at the speed of light. Normally,people would just admire it in awe for a moment before carrying on with whatever they were doing. However,the girl decided to check out the source of the light.

Sprinting immediately,the girl turned to a corner where it led to the back of a building. Luckily,it was empty and almost completely covered. Ensuring that no one would be able to see her from there,the girl fiddled with the top of her sweater,taking out an amulet that bore an aquamarine gem. Holding it in her fist,she moved her lips slightly,uttering words in a soft whisper.

" **Destiny change.** "

In an instant,her appearance had changed. Her hair color changed to Celestial blue and her eyes color changed to Carribean blue. A choker with a diamond-shaped aquamarine gemstone was on her neck,and the gemstone was also on the ribbon that tied around her waist. A blue vest trailed down to her white puffy skirt,covering the sides of the ribbon she wore. Her short hair was cut shorter,but twintails tied with similar ribbons extended down to her ankles which was covered with white thigh-high stockings and ankle-high blue high-heeled boots which was decorated with the same gemstone with one sky blue arrow sticking out of its side. Her palms were covered with blue fingerless gloves that extended to her entire wrist.

" **Past,present,future. I am the Guardian of Fate and Future - Cure Destiny!** "

Out of the blue(no pun intended),a small ghost-like creature flitted around the girl,applauding her. Cure Destiny frowned at her,trying to hide the blush that had surfaced on her cheeks."Can you not clap everytime?It's embarrassing."

"But you were so cool!"the creature said."That's why as your partner I,Feto,need to cheer for you."

The Precure sighed in defeat and smiled."Thanks. In any case,we need to go."

" **We're racing against Time**."

* * *

Meanwhile,Sora had found her target. As she had thought,a certain girl was talking to a taller man. She did not recognise the man,so she took time to register his appearance.

He had long hair with the color of a moonstone that was tied to a low ponytail and glowing eyes that was entirely white. He wore a grey vest underneath a black leather jacket and had a white undershirt. Matching with black pants was a pair of shiny black shoes that was usually worn to offices. He had a gentle smile on his face,but Sora knew that smile too well.

It was a _fake_ smile.

"Who are they?"Yuudai whispered.

"Secretary of the Student Council and some one whom she claimed to be her new friend."

Yuudai nodded in understanding. He was not sure how she knew,but it made sense to find the host so quickly since it was someone Sora was familiar with. Eager to get to their target and to take lead as someone who was more aware of the situation,Yuudai started stepping forward - Only to accidentally snap a fallen twig. There was instant silence with only an echo of the snap hanging in the cold air.

The tall man turned around,his hand moving to his pocket. "Now,now. I wonder who's here to interrupt my precious date."

Yuudai wanted to hide,but then he saw Sora moving to reveal her presence. Thinking that there was no going back,he decided to reveal himself as well. For an entire agonizing minute,there was no sound other than the cool night breeze blowing against them.

"P-President,"Kougami Rin was the first to break the silence."Why are you here?And what are you wearing?"

Sora was silent. The man,however,stepped infront of the bespectacled girl defensively.

"You were the one who defeated my Yami-borei,I suppose?" His voice was deep and silky. It was no wonder Rin was lured by him,besides from his attractive appearance.

Time moved quickly. Sora was instantly infront of the man,her heel pushing hard against his blocking arm. Yuudai could only watch with a shocked expression. That man was able to catch up to Sora's speed?

Poor Rin was clearly confused and flabbergated,oblivious to what was really happening."President,Will-san,what's going on?"

No one could tell her the answer.

Just when either of them was about to attack each other,instead they backed away right when a long object whizzed past them by a hair's breadth. Both of them turned to the direction of where it came from and the first thing they saw was a pair of glowing blue eyes. The man clicked his tongue in irritation,giving Sora the idea that he knew who it was.

"Cure Destiny,it has been a while."

"Don't act like we're on good terms, **Willihard**. Glad to see you again,though. So I can get rid of you quickly."

Sora looked from one person to another. She could tell that the other person was a Precure and it was likely that Cure Destiny had been pursuing the one called Willihard for quite a while. Unsure of how to react,she decided to observe the flow of events for a while. That was when she remembered what she came for.

But of course,Cure Destiny did not gave her a chance either. Even before she could move,a blue arrow landed infront of her feet. As expected,Sora did not falter. She simply smirked at the sight of the arrow before glancing at Cure Destiny who was holding a bow decorated with a wing at both ends. Taking a step back,Sora held out her hand.

" **Momentum Blade,ready**."

Yuudai panicked."Decade,wait a mi-"

"Trust me for once,Wakahisa."

Yuudai froze in his spot. As he stared at Sora,he realised that despite her smug expression,she was in conflict herself. She needed at least him to trust her,especially when she could not trust herself. Still,he was unsure what she was trying to do. Sora was always playing risky games. She loved those kind of things. She never minded sacrificing others for her own purposes either.

"Looks like I'll have to take my leave,"Willihard broke the moment. Suddenly,he grabbed Rin and placed a hand on her chest,doing a pulling motion. A portal opened,and a black shadow was forcefully pulled out of it and it landed on the grass. It was the exact same Yami-borei that Sora faced the other day. Knowing what Sora was thinking,the man turned to her with a smile. "You did a good job yesterday,Decade. But if you do things halfway,it will never be settled."

He suddenly let go of the girl and leapt up into the night. His eyes glowed in the darkness,even against the stars.

"I'm expecting great things from you, _my queen_."

And he disappeared.

"This is bad,"Cure Destiny muttered. She turned between the Yami-borei and Sora,before turning to Yuudai instead. "You there. Take care of the girl."

Yuudai jolted,but nodded quickly. However,just when he reached out for Rin,Sora stood in his way.

"She's mine," was all she said.

That was enough to set Destiny off."This is why you shouldn't be a Precure in the first place!Set your priorities straight!Protecting everyone from the Yami-borei is priority."

Sora sighed and grabbed Rin,pulling the girl to her side. Yuudai thought Sora merely wanted to save Rin first. But too late,he realised her intentions only now.

 ** _SHICK_**.

A gasp left Rin's throat before she went limp in Sora's hold. Both Yuudai and Destiny could stare in utter bewilderment at what had just happened,still trying to process the reality of the situation. Sora pushed Rin off her,letting the girl fall to the ground with a loud thud. A gaping hole was on her stomach,though for some reason,there was no blood nor flesh to be seen in it. The Yami-borei had dissipated behind Destiny,though no one noticed as their attention was fixated on the shocking scene infront of them.

Sora had just stabbed Rin.

A Cure had stabbed an innocent victim without hesitation.

" **DECADE!** "Destiny screamed in rage,leaping to launch an attack at Sora. However,Sora suddenly disappeared and reappeared right infront of her opponent. Destiny gasped in surprise and was too slow to block a heavy kick into her stomach which sent her flying to a row of trees. Sora landed swiftly onto the ground,her face bearing no expression.

Yuudai was still in shock. Everything was happening too quickly. Never had such a thing happened before. A Cure killing someone? Someone who kills without hesitation should never become Precure. So then…

Why did the transformation watch choose her of all people?

"I knew it,"Destiny grunted as she stood from the remains of the collapsed trees."The future I saw was right."

"You're not a guardian. You're a **_destroyer_**."


	3. Lonely Girl's Past

**Episode 3 : Lonely Girl's Past**

Thankfully,there was always some sort of magic barrier that prevents regular people to see anything out of their reality,and only shows what they could comprehend. That was why no one noticed the huge blue and red sparks that kept flashing every second. The only one who had to watch the entire scene was Yuudai,and for once he wished he was a regular person.

He could not say that he felt betrayed,since he had only known Sora for a day and was not close enough to her. But he felt shocked - Too shocked to comprehend what was really going on. However,the reality was clear. A Cure had just committed an act that any Cure should never have done. With that sort of character inside her,Sora should not have been chosen as a Cure.

So why…?

" _Trust me for once,Wakahisa."_

He remembered those words clearly. She had asked him to trust her. Was she just trying to make him stay back? Did she think that killing was the best choice?

Or did she have something else in her mind?

"Just surrender and give up on being a Cure,Decade. You were never suited to be one in the first place. You'll only be bringing doom to this world." Destiny was clearly struggling at this point,her exhaustion evident on her face. It would have been easy to overpower Sora if not for Sora's time manipulation power. It almost took her everything just to catch up to Sora's speed.

Sora remained silent. For some reason,she kept glancing back and forth in the middle of the fight. It was getting onto Destiny's nerves,as though Sora was taking her lightly. It made her wonder how Sora managed to reach Destiny's level of prowess so quickly. A stinging feeling suddenly struck Destiny as the thought came to her,though she quickly shook it away.

As though there was not enough surprises from Sora,the girl suddenly leapt towards where Rin's body was. Destiny wanted to attack her. She wanted to stop her from whatever dangerous antics she was up to. However,as long as Sora was not exactly doing anything,it would be wrong for Destiny to attack her. Destiny decided to observe her but remained on guard.

Sora raised her Momentum Blade.

 _Scratch that_.

"Don't you dare-"

Sora swung her Momentum Blade,right through the hole on Rin's body. The line where it got cut suddenly glowed white,and there was a flash. When the glow died, Rin was not there anymore. In her place was a black portal leading to who-knows-where. Destiny and Yuudai only stared,and Sora smirked at their reactions.

"I don't care if you see me as a destroyer or a guardian,"she said. Her gaze locked with Destiny's."I'll do as I like,and you can't stop me. Even if I want to kill anyone,I'll just do it right away."

Her gaze switched over to locking with Yuudai's."I know I can never be trusted. I don't care about that. But if you claim to be my partner,do as I say."

With those words, Sora stepped into the portal,and she disappeared.

* * *

 _A room?_

It was a room Sora would have possibly gotten if she was a middle school girl from an average family. A small yet spacey room only filled with the normalities,no extra. A study table,a bed,a closet with a mirror. Curtains were only drawn on one side,letting some light into the room. Despite the room definitely not being Sora's,the atmosphere she felt was almost the same.

Sora decided to take a tour. However,she froze in her tracks when she stood infront of the mirror. She could not see herself. When she looked at her hands,she realised that she was only a see-through figure through her own eyes. That brought the conclusion that she must be invinsible in the eyes of others at this time.

There was no need to ask whose room it was. Clearly,the room belonged to Kougami Rin. At the thought of the secretary of the Student Council,Sora was suddenly hit with a sense of unease.

 _Do not feel guilty about what you have done. It was for the best._

Hence,Sora merely shook off the feeling.

Next step was to look for a calendar. At the very least,she had to know what was the date at the setting she was in. It was not as though she controlled the period of time that she could return to. Perhaps she should look up on that and work on it so she would be able to manipulate that as well.

Ah,there it was.

Sora stared at the calendar,thoughts swirling in her head. All she could think of was what had happened earlier. It was not as though she never knew what she was doing. She had a reason,but that Cure Destiny had attacked her before she could say anything(she was not even planning to in the first place. Makes it more fun to scare them a little). Still,the act itself made her shiver. Even she herself had never expected her to kill without hesitation. It was all wrong.

 _Why was I even chosen?_

"Wait a minute."

The year showed that she would be in the second year of middle school at that time. But the day was-

Sora's eyes widened with panic."Kougami!"

On that note,she immediately teleported.

* * *

 _"Okay,Kougami-san. You're joining Ametsuchi-san's team."_

 _"Y-Yes,ma'am."_

 _There was loud chattering in the classrooms. Giggles were exchanged,whispers were shared,glares were sent towards only one person. Kougami Rin tried to ignore the tense atmosphere as she timidly made her way to the remaining group._

 _"Let us win,Kougami."_

 _Rin gasped softly,turning to her classmate with disbelief. Did the most popular girl just talk to her and encourage her? There was no way someone like her would say a word to someone as lowly as herself,right?_

 _"Don't drag us down,stupid-glasses!"_

 _"Ametsuchi-san's gonna let us win so don't even get near her!"_

 _As more mean comments were bombarded at her,all she could do was hold back her tears and not say anything. Ametsuchi Sora simply kept quiet,not even turning around to defend her. Of course,why would she? It was true that Rin was the biggest burden of the group. It would take her forever to reach Sora's level. Nonetheless,Sora's words from earlier had given her confidence,and she was determined to prove her classmates wrong._

 _Unfortunately,her team lost at the inter-class sports games. They were near to victory,until Rin tripped over nothing during the relay run. Her recovery time was slow too. As expected,her teammates blamed her for their loss afterwards. It made her realise that she could never be useful for anything. She was the worst kind of person anyone could be. She needed to hide behind someone else,so she would not get hurt again._

 _Rin decided to follow Sora all the way._

* * *

Sora stood on top of the school building,watching the relay run. Feeling her heart clench,she decided that she just wanted to go through with her plan quickly. Besides,there would be a fight soon. Or rather,two fights. Sora never understood what her real intention was either,nor did she know what she should prioritise. It was all such a troublesome conflict to think of,she ended up just looking for a fight.

A scream suddenly broke through her thoughts.

A huge shadow loomed over the entire track field,emerging from Rin's back. When it had appeared in full body,Rin collapsed to the ground and was left there as everyone else came running. It seemed sloppy in its movement,still trying to adjust with the environment. Students and teachers alike ran away and roars muted the screams that came from them.

But then Sora noticed. It was not a roar. It sounded more like…"She's crying."

Sora knew she had to take action immediately before the Yami-borei destroys anything else. It looks like the Yami-borei would only be visible to everyone when it was in another timeline. So that meant that magic barriers would not work,which made it more tough.

However,obviously,Sora already knew what to do,assuming that she had not miscalculated.

The next moment happened all too quickly. Every kick and punch that landed always kept backfiring,and gushes of wind would be felt at every blow. Lines of red could be seen around the Yami-borei as after-effects from Sora's movement. As she had thought,her opponent was tougher than usual,considering that she needed to prevent any damages while destroying her target.

"-Ghk-!"

Cure Decade slid back,sending a puff of sand up by her feet. Her legs were already trembling,her knees buckling. Should she already be this tired? Could this possibly be a side-effect of using her time manipulation abilities too much?

" **Looks like you aren't so strong after all,Decade**."

Sora turned around to see two familiar companions that were her enemies just several minutes ago. Destiny was grinning smugly while Yuudai was simply smiling widely. Rolling her eyes at the statement,Sora tried to straighten herself up and dusted the sand off her clothes.

Sending a glare her way,Sora decided to counter."Shut up. This is my-"

"My turn to show my prowess,Decade. Let someone else grab the spotlight for once,"Destiny interrupted.

Sora frowned."That's not what I-"

Before she could end her sentence,the Yami-borei swung its fist at the trio. Sora had no strength to protect herself. Thankfully,Destiny stood right infront of her,blocking the attack with her long staff.

"I'd love to stop you now,but protecting the others are more important. They shape the future,which is our time. Besides,you still have to explain things to me,Decade."

Damn it. Why was she the one being protected? She hated it. She never deserved this. Why was she getting more than what she asked for?

A gasp escaped her lips as she caught the Yami-borei's next movement. Ignoring the pain she was feeling right then,she manipulated time once again to stop all movements. However,she had only managed to slow it down. That still gave her the time to run towards Rin and carry her away. Once again,time moved normally.

"Hmm,who knew that you do have a good side?"

Sora panted as she leaned against the wall of the building,sliding down with Rin in her arms. All she could was to glare at Yuudai. Being breathless and all,she could not even give a rebuttal even if she wanted to. How did she get this way so suddenly?

Once she managed to catch her breath,she finally spoke."I was not trying to protect anyone or something. I just don't want to risk having my current life changing."

"But every Cure has something they want to protect,you know?"Yuudai reminded her."Maybe it's just something you haven't realised yet."

"Are we seriously going to have this conversation while that girl's fighting?"Sora grumbled,eager to end the topic. Of course,it only elicited a chuckle from her partner.

"Cut her some slack. She's trying hard,you know?"

"You seem to know her well."

"Not me. Her partner does. And I know her partner quite well."

" _Is he or she as nosy and annoying as you?_ "Sora almost asked. However,she diverted her attention to Destiny's fight. Right,what was her real name anyway? It would be awkward to address her as Destiny out of nowhere. Perhaps she should ask her later.

* * *

Destiny was feeling more hyped than ever. As if given a new boost of power,she was able to fight the Yami-borei with ease. But she knew better. Besides protecting the others,Destiny wanted to show Cure Decade what she was capable of,that she too can be just as strong and skillful,if not better. Lights flashed with every contact,the loud sounds echoing with every hit. When the Yami-borei was finally weakening,Destiny knew it was her chance.

" **Fate Rod,set**."

Light blue glitter swarmed around her hand and went through her fist,forming the shape of a rod. When the glitter dissipated,a long aquamarine staff took its place. It had a stopper at its botton end while a small blade perched the other end. Wings extended from a point between Destiny's hand and the blade.

" **Future,start**."

The blade on the tip glowed white. Destiny leapt up and raised her Fate Rod,preparing to launch her final attack.

" **Destiny Evolution,go!** "

She landed across the Yami-borei. Turning back,Destiny watched as the Yami-borei glowed white before it shattered into a shower of glitter. The tensed atmosphere changed into a happy one,with children and teachers cheering for the Cure. Destiny could not have been any more proud of herself. She glanced at Sora,who seemed to be wearing a blank expression. It just annoyed Destiny so much how Sora would never be impressed with anything,as though she thought nothing could be more amazing than herself.

"That was awesome,Cure Destiny."

Destiny looked at Yuudai,who had held out a hand. He was clearly sincere in his words,and his bright smile caused her heart to flutter slightly. In a whim,she accepted his handshake.

"I told you that you were good!"

Emerging out of the air was Destiny's tiny ghost partner once again,Feto. She swirled around Destiny,applauding the girl on her own. Destiny could feel her cheeks heat up as she suddenly felt embarrassed of being praised so openly infront of a boy she had just met.

"Uh,I'm sorry. She's always like this,"Destiny apologised with a nervous smile.

Yuudai laughed and waved off her words with his hand."Don't worry about it. I know how embarrassing she could be."

"You know each other?A human and a Cure fairy?"Destiny blinked. Her question merely earned laughter from the other two,causing her to frown."That wasn't meant to be funny,you know."

"Sorry,sorry,"Yuudai apologised."I'm not human,actually. I'm just like Feto there."

Destiny's expression fell. Yuudai as a tiny ghost? She could never imagine that. Eager to change the topic,she looked around to search for Sora. The girl seemed to have disappeared. How would they get out of there then?

However,thankfully,she finally noticed where her target was,and a certain feeling of guilt flooded her heart. _"Decade,what exactly is on your mind? I can never figure you out."_

* * *

[I'm sorry for the long hiatus! I'm in the middle of my final year and many things are coming up so my uploads will be slower. And I tend to get distracted easily while writing so... Yeah,that's why it's slow. In any case,I hope you liked this chapter!]


	4. New Rival - Alice!

**Episode 4: New Rival - Alice!**

 _One week._

It had been one week since the previous fight. It was strangely peaceful. Yuudai had expected for there to be an attack everyday. But of course,he was relieved that nothing had happened. The only thing that was prodding at his mind was Sora.

Such a strange girl she is. It was difficult to understand her,but Yuudai hoped he could learn to trust her at least. However,with what she had done,it was impossible. Although she had not exactly killed Kougami Rin,the fact that she could stab someone without hesitation had bothered him.

According to what he had tried to find out,the Rin that Sora had stabbed was not the real one. The actual Rin had disappeared temporarily and would only reappear in the current timeline if the Yami-borei in Rin's past had been eliminated. Cure Destiny had taken care of that,so everything was fine.

But not only did Yuudai feel that he could not trust Sora,he felt conflicted about what to feel about her too. He wanted to despise her for what she did but everytime he almost did it,she always surprised him with an act of kindness.

Just like back then.

* * *

 _Sora staggered slightly as she tried to stand up,leaving the younger Rin's body by her side. Closing her eyes,her body glowed a slight pink and she suddenly disappeared. When she reopened them,a smile of satisfaction graced her lips._

 _She was in her younger self's body._

 _"Ametsuchi-san? Where are you going?"_

 _Sora ignored her teacher's calls and ran towards her unconscious classmate. Holding her and letting the girl rest her head against her shoulder,Sora tried to wake her up."Kougami. Wake up,Kougami."_

 _It took quite a while,but eventually Rin managed to regain her consciousness. As realization hit her,she abruptly tried to get up,only to be held down by Sora once again. Rin's cheeks turned a deep shade of red as she noticed how intense Sora's gaze was. However,those feelings faded quickly when she noticed the emotion in those sharp eyes._

 _"Ametsuchi-san…? W-What's wrong?"she asked hesitantly. She thought she might be wrong. But this time,she was sure she saw it. She saw a look of melancholy and loneliness,the two emotions she was too familiar with. A gasp left her lips when Sora suddenly held her hand. Such a gentle hold it was,yet with so much trembling. What was in Sora's mind? What was she thinking?_

 _"You did well today,Kougami. I have been wanting to tell you that,"Sora told her. Rin's eyes widened with surprise as she listened to Sora's words."Do not ever try to hide yourself behind me. Take your time to improve yourself and show everyone what you are capable of. Learn to love yourself. No one could ever do that for you."_

* * *

"I never realized you were someone who would sneak into a girl's room at night,Wakahisa."

Yuudai immediately felt heat pooling in his cheeks as he climbed through the window,stepping on cold white marble floor. He took the time to admire Sora's wide bedroom. Certainly,she was not from an average family. Her bedroom was all white,from the porcelain knobs of her fiberglass door to her queen-sized bed neatly warmed by expensive blanket. There was even a big wall-mounted TV and her nightstand and study table did not look like the average ones either. She even had her own luxurious bathroom that had a glass shower room and a bathtub. After managing to distract himself with the sight,Yuudai finally turned back to Sora who seemed to be studying late at night. Was she like this everyday?

"We need to talk,"Yuudai told her. When Sora simply remained silent,Yuudai knew that it was his cue to explain everything. She had always been that way,simply expecting others to understand her on their own without her saying anything. "Ever since what happened before,I suspect that many others would be having their eyes on you. Not just other Cures,but also our enemies. And I have heard most of the destroyer thing from Suzumoto-san."

Sora blinked."Suzumoto?"

"Suzumoto Rie-san. It's Cure Destiny,"Yuudai explained."She's a student from our school,surprisingly. Anyway,she said that from what she had heard,she was not the only one who seemed to know you as a destroyer. Other Cures had heard it too and would be going after you. So now,you would be a bigger threat than the Yami-Borei."

Sora froze,her pen still pressed into her paper. Silently,she merely stared ahead into space. Yuudai did not know what she was thinking. Perhaps she was shocked by the news,or she might be plotting something dangerous again. Why was he assigned to be her partner anyway? Why was she even chosen as a Cure? He wished he could get the answers quickly.

"Why am I even a Cure then?"

 _What?_

"If I'm really a destroyer,then I shouldn't have become a Cure in the first place,right?" Her words were more of a statement than a question. Gripping her pen tightly,she turned to Yuudai,her trademark smirk gracing her lips."But since that's the way they want to see me as so much,fine. I'll be their enemy. I'll destroy anyone that gets in my way,and at the same time I'll destroy those Yami-Borei."

Yuudai stumbled backwards slightly,stunned by Sora's decision."You mean…?"

"You will be my only ally. I will be neutral towards the Cures,but once they show any signs of trying to attack me,I'll eliminate them immediately. The Yami-Borei are my enemy too;that's a given."

Yuudai stared at the girl before him. Her expression had changed. It was a dark one,unlike her usual blank and cold gaze. It held a certain hostility and murderous intent,as though she thought anyone could pounce on her anytime and she would kill anyone who really did that. And she would be enjoying it. While she would do her duty to stop the Yami-borei,she could kill anyone else too.

 _Was she a guardian or a destroyer?_

Yuudai could not tell.

* * *

An silent gasp left his lips and he lifted his gaze from the floor. A satisfied grin soon formed as he leaned back in his cushioned seat,a certain swell of pride residing in his heart. Willihard waved a hand infront of him,summoning a certain subordinate.

"You called,Mi'Lord?"

Infront of the man stood a small girl with short twintails and some purple lolita goth dress. Frills were all over the place,as if the design was done at the last minute. The girl held a spear in her hand. Her stance was one with slight arrogance,but that was a common trait among the Yami-borei. Her manner of speech was enough to show her respect towards her leader.

"Alice,I will give you the opportunity to seek out our target first,"Willihard suggested."I sense that she has gone closer to where we want her to be."

The one called Alice covered her mouth,her eyes brightening with excitement."You mean,she might come here soon?!"

Willihard chuckled at his subordinate's enthusiasm and nodded. With a cheerful cry,the girl swung her spear and disappeared into thin air,definitely making her way to chase after their target. Willihard placed a gloved hand over his heart,his smile changing to a gentle one - an expression no one else had ever seen from him.

"My dear queen,"he whispered,his voice laced with such love and emotion."I will _always_ reach out for you. I will _save_ you from them,and help you destroy those who attempts to get in your way. You will never be alone anymore. I shall be the one to grant your wish."

* * *

He turned around,feeling a shudder going up his spine. He was sure he was being watched. Picking up his pace,he walked through the night,attempting to reach his home quickly. Yuudai gasped and stopped in his tracks as he saw a shadow ahead of him. Laughter soon echoed in his head. It was a girl's voice. Although it was merely laughter,he soon found himself collapsing to the ground.

"Where is the girl?"

A hard kick was sent to his gut,followed by a sharp step to his chest. With high-heels,the pain only multiplied from the step. Despite his pain,Yuudai resisted.

"I'll...Never...Tell you…"Yuudai croaked out.

Laughter echoed again."Hmm…If you're going to resist,then I'll have no choice but to _use you_ instead."

Yuudai's eyes widened."What are you-"

He was then interrupted by his own scream as he found himself being sucked away by a vortex. In his place was a huge Yami-borei in the shape of a black ghost. The girl stepped back and pointed ahead,shouting out her order.

"You should be able to retrace his steps. Go,now!"

The Yami-borei zoomed past her. As she was suddenly alone,the darkness seem to loom over her. The only thing that could be seen was the gleam of her white fangs as she grinned devilishly.

"Let's see if our queen is really a good one."

* * *

"Ah,he's not answering. Did something happen?"

Suzumoto Rie grunted as she laid back down on her bed,clutching her phone in her hand. As she stared at the name of her contact,a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. She had exchanged numbers with Yuudai right after the incident with the excuse of keeping tabs about Sora,but she knew better. Rie merely wanted to get closer to Yuudai.

"This is stupid,"Rie muttered to herself."It's just temporary infatuation because of his looks and all. Happens all the time. I'm just a sucker for his looks. He's not even a real human."

Her thoughts wandered to Sora. Rie was curious about Cure Decade too. Before their first meeting,Rie had thought she was just a pure mass destructive force. However,she seemed to be different. Way too different. While her methods seemed sort of evil,the end result was for the best. Speaking of which,why did she say those words to Kougami Rin?

 _"Do not ever try to hide yourself behind me,"_ she had said.

Would not that just change everything? Why was Sora changing the past herself when she was supposed to prevent the Yami-borei from changing it? Though luckily,nothing major had changed from there. But there had to be a change somewhere. Such words definitely would have had an impact on someone like Rin.

So _what_ was the change?

The buzz of her phone cut herself off from her thoughts. Hastily,she picked it up without even checking the number. She was merely hoping that it was Yuudai. It certainly was his number. However,the other end of the line was not him.

 _"This is Suzumoto,right?"_

Rie blinked."That voice...Decade?"

 _"Yeah. Your number was in the 'Favourites' list so it was easy to find,"_ Sora said. Her statement caused Rie to blush. Yuudai put her number in his "Favourites" list? Maybe he just wanted her to be more easily contactable. _"Wakahisa has gone missing. I found his phone on the ground."_

"What?!"Rie gasped,instantly getting off her bed."We should-"

" _There is no 'we' about it. Just me_ ,"Sora interrupted." _I'm calling you in case he comes back or something else comes up,but don't get in my way._ "

Rie gritted her teeth in frustration. Just who did Sora think she is to say such arrogant things? "I don't-"

" _If you do get in my way,I won't hesitate to kill you immediately_ ,"Sora cut in. Rie froze,not being able to utter a word even as Sora hung up. With shaken hands,she placed her phone down and stared at it. Did Sora really threaten her with her life? For once since the incident,she thought Sora might actually be a better person who always took risks but would never kill others for real. But when Sora spoke before,she could tell that she had meant it.

Sora really could kill her.

"Who even decided for that girl to be a Cure?"Rie muttered."She's a real **monster**."

* * *

It was a typical windy night in the middle of spring. The breeze was stronger than usual,especially when one was at such a tall structure. Sora stood on top of the Tokyo Skytree just like as she did before. Not only did it help her think through properly,she was also able to see almost everything from there. Her crimson eyes glowed against the dark sky as she scanned the area.

"Where could he-"

Before realising it herself,Sora found herself catching a white glowing blade out of nowhere. She smirked at her own reflexes,impressed by what she had just done. However,her expression fell when she turned around to see her opponent.

"You're the coward taking an innocent boy as a hostage,huh?" she taunted. Despite putting a strong front,she could not help but to feel a certain fear. Her gaze settled on Yuudai's unconscious body that was being held by a certain girl.

"Forgive my rudeness,dear queen. But I had to do this in order to get you,"the girl bowed her head low."I am Alice."

 _"Dear queen?"_

Sora was confused. Why was her own enemy showing her such respect? It was not as though she hated it,but it was all strange - yet too easy to figure out.

They wanted her.

They wanted her to be their leader.

"Ah,I get what you want but I'm too busy with the Student Council and this Precure thing,"Sora shrugged,her laid-back personality taking over. "It's too troublesome,so can you return that idiot back to me? At least settle this by ourselves."

Alice blinked,surprised by Sora's tone. Perhaps it was not the kind of person Alice had expected her to be. Sora smirked,amused by her reaction. And just as she had hoped,Alice threw Yuudai to her with ease,though Sora struggled slightly to catch him. Tapping his forehead,Sora teleported Yuudai to a safer place. Facing her opponent once again,Sora extended her hand to the side.

" **Momentum Blade,ready**."

There was a glow around Sora's arm before her Momentum Blade appeared. Sora leaned back slightly,gesturing invitingly towards Alice."Come and get me. Don't use your Yami-borei or any other tricks. Let me see if you're good enough to be under me."

Alice's eyes brightened with pure excitement. Sora thought that she had gotten Alice under her sleeve.

She was _almost_ wrong.

Almost immediately,Sora raised her blade to block a strong blow from Alice,the impact creating a gust of wind between them. Sora was almost pushed over. Instead of being afraid,now she simply felt impressed.

"Not bad,"she praised."But not good enough yet."

Sora disappeared,only to reappear behind Alice instantly and landed a kick that sent her flying across the street,crashing through buildings. That was when Sora realized it.

 _I didn't set up the barrier._

Bad news. People would obviously notice what was happening. There were already some running out of the damaged buildings,but luckily no one got hurt. Sora should set up the barrier before people gets hurt.

A pink barrier finally stood before it disappeared again. Once she made sure that everyone else had left,she finally diverted her focus onto her opponent.

"You set up a barrier?"Alice complained."That's so boring. Wouldn't it be more interesting if the others watch our battle?"

Sora rolled her eyes."Consider yourself lucky that they won't see you getting humiliated."

From that point,their conversation ended. There was only clashes of blades,punches,kicks and special abilities. Although she hated it,Sora could not deny the fact that Alice was a good fighter. Even Sora herself struggled to overpower her. But then again,that might be from the after-effects of using her time manipulation ability.

Before long,Sora managed to separate Alice from her weapon before kicking her down to the ground from high mid-air. The impact was so strong it crumbled half a building at the side,but did not matter since it would be fixed once again once Sora removed the barrier. Alice tried to get out of the rubble. However,Sora was already on top of her,pressing the Momentum Blade against her throat.

"You've lost this time,Alice,"Sora declared. It was not a statement from one enemy to another. There was still acknowledgement in her eyes,full of excitement and energy. "Let's see if you can beat me next time,hmm?"

Alice grinned and nodded."I look forward to fighting against you again,Queen. Ah,but…"

Before Alice could continue,they were suddenly interrupted by a crash and a familiar scream. Sora turned,only to burst into laughter.

"Decade,you idiot! You never warned me about this thing! I've never fought one of this size before!" Cure Destiny cried out,running from a huge Yami-Borei. Sora could only sigh as she stood up,holding out her Momentum Blade.

" **Target,set**."

Instantly,she was at the other end of the barrier,the Yami-borei dissipating behind her. Her blade dissipated at the same time.

" **And now,time starts once again.** "

* * *

"You _didn't_ manage to get her?"Willihard snarled. Alice shivered at his threatening gaze,which suddenly changed to his usual calm expression. The male simply leaned back and sighed."Well,I knew it would not be easy,since it's her."

"If I may ask,Mi'Lord,"Alice started,trying to be respectful and polite."Why are you so keen on getting her to be our queen? You're already good enough as our leader."

Willihard's eyes widened at her question. However,he remained silent. He did not know how to answer her. He could not answer her. It would destroy his own nature as a Yami-borei.

Instead,he offered his smug smile and shrugged."It's bad to ask something too private,Alice. How about you go off and train so that you'll actually succeed for once?"

Alice wanted to counter his words,but she knew she could not do it. If she said the wrong words,she would be killed immediately. Despite his relaxed front,Alice knew how scary Willihard could be.

But of course,Sora would be scarier.

When Alice disappeared,Willihard stood up. He slowly stepped towards a mirror beside him,staring at his own appearance. He was the same as ever,but he had marks and tattoos on his face and body. To him,it was hideous and humiliating to be born with such marks. He wished he was not born an out-of-the-ordinary Yami-borei. Everyone feared him. No one saw him for who he was.

With a wave of his hand,he instantly switched his appearance to the more humanized version of himself. There was not much of a difference with his hair,eyes and physique,but the marks on his body and face was gone. His fingers trailed on his neck,satisfied with the marks' disappearance,but wishing that it was actually permanent.

"I shall pay a visit to my future queen. Perhaps I will feel better then."

* * *

Yuudai woke up to find himself back in his room. That was strange. He remembered getting captured and -

"Was I saved again?"he asked himself."Ametsuchi saved me,didn't she?"

At the thought,he found himself grinning,red hue appearing on his cheeks. Despite all that had happened,he was happy that Sora seemed to care for him,no matter what her reason was. She definitely merely saw him as just an ally and nothing else,but that was fine. It was not as though he had strong feelings for her,but he was just happy that she accepted him.

Little did he know that at that point,things were about to change for the worse.

* * *

The bed creaked as Sora settled down,drying her hair with a towel. She was in a tank top and shorts - her usual nightwear. Strangely,she was more exhausted than usual. Her arms were trembling the moment she raised them,as though they had lost all energy. Her knees would buckle every time she stood up,and she would need to hold onto something everytime she walked.

"Is this from that ability…?"

Sora shook her head. No matter what the truth was,all she needed to do was to settle everything quickly. She needed to find a way to get to the Yami-borei leader quickly and kill whoever it was. The problem was that she was meant to be the Yami-borei leader,so technically she was their leader. Sora decided to have a drink to calm herself down.

However,once she got up,she found her vision spinning. Her legs gave way,and she was suddenly collapsing. But instead of hitting the floor,she felt strong arms wrapping around her,supporting her.

"...Wakahisa…?"

"How cruel,my queen. Do you not recognise me? But then again,we have not learnt much about each other yet,so I cannot blame you."

Sora looked up,her voice and breath caught in her throat. Right at that moment,only one thought was in her mind.

 _He's beautiful._

The moon made his hair give off a glow. His white eyes seem to sparkle in the dark night. His skin was soft and fair. His face was shaped perfectly. He was more than handsome. He was a real beauty.

"Are you alright,my queen?"

That managed to bring Sora back to reality. Trying to regain her balance,Sora held onto his arms as she brought herself down to her bed. She could not do anything. Not at the moment. More importantly,her supposed-to-be enemy was right infront of her. She was unsure of how to act with him being so gentle,though she knew what his motive was.

"Shall I bring you something to drink?"

Sora shook her head. She did not feel the need to anymore. Besides,she did not trust Willihard to bring something that is safe. He might just trick her at anytime. So instead,she looked up at him with a cold gaze,expecting him to explain his presence.

"Ah,I apologise. I have not cleared anything up yet,have I? In that case,may I take a seat?"

Sora patted the spot beside her on the bed. Willihard blinked,surprised by the offer. At the very least,he had expected himself to just sit on the chair across from her. It made him feel elated,a smile naturally gracing his lips. As he slowly sat down,he turned around to face her properly.

"I'll introduce myself once again. I am Wilihard,a Yami-borei,"he said simply. He was being too open about it. And Sora could tell that he was being sincere for once. The smile he had put on now was different from the one when he was with Kougami Rin."The reason I came here I was simply to check on you,so rest assured that I would not be doing anything."

But is he entirely telling the truth? How much did he truly think of her? Was not she supposed to be just a puppet leader or something?

"Is that so?"Sora muttered. Letting out a sigh,she leaned against the wall beside her bed and closed her eyes. Perhaps she should relax for now. Truth to be told,she had not entirely gotten used to being a Cure yet. The fights were too much for even someone as athletic as her. How Rie managed to do it - she wonder. She needed a peace of mind."For now,just stay here and don't do anything else. At least I won't feel alone."

"Are you lonely since then,my queen?"

Sora's eyes abruptly opened. She looked at him,studying his expression. He was not pitying her. He was simply confirming what he knew. This man was dangerous and difficult to figure out. He was similar to her. Everyone feared him,just like how everyone else feared her. It made her lonely from the start,but it had gotten worst since Kougami Rie's case.

If she and Willihard were similar,it was fine to open up slightly,right? He would understand her. Although at first she wanted to make him leave since she was her enemy,now she was hesitant. Besides,she had no strength in case of a battle.

"Maybe,but it was the best,"Sora admitted."Better than being with people who are afraid of me."

"Do you think that I am afraid of you?"Willihard asked.

Sora looked at him,studying his expression once again. She stared at his eyes. Although it was entirely white,it was what calmed her the most.

"You simply look up to me and respect me,"Sora guessed."And clearly,Alice did too. She even acknowledged me as a rival."

Willihard chuckled,the deep velvety voice making butterflies grow in Sora's stomach. At the same time,a thought came to her. Did that mean that Willihard and Alice were better companions for her? Was she really meant to be with them instead of Yuudai and Rie?

"Ah!"

Sora suddenly cried out,feeling a sharp jab in her head. Clutching onto her head tightly,she immediately tried to lie down,but the sudden movement only made her more dizzy and nauseous.

Images appeared in her head. Monsters were everywhere,the world in entire chaos,many Cures getting fatally wounded,and she alone was standing at a tall height,above everyone else. The sight was ugly and horrifying.

Sora found herself trembling and panting."W-What was.." Her voice trailed off,no more words being able to leave her lips.

She felt a strong hand supporting her and slowly laying her down. Eventually her vision cleared again and her pain subsided.

"Rest well,my queen,"Willihard smiled,though there was a hint of concern in his voice."If anything happens,be reminded that I am always around to be by your side."

With those words echoing in her mind,Sora slowly slipped into a deep slumber as her exhaustion took over.

Willihard stared at Sora's sleeping expression,reaching out to gently tuck a loose strand of crimson hair behind her ear. How he wished he could take her away right at that moment. But he needed to wait until Sora had fully trusted him. He would not like it either if she followed him out of pity or by force. At the very least,he had managed to make her open up to him naturally with his alluring charms,using bit of his magic. He reminded himself that he should not do it next time.

"It'll be quite hurtful if I know that she only opens up because of my magic,right?"he muttered to himself. The more he stared at Sora,the more he found his face getting closer to hers. Slowly,he leaned over,his lips hovering over Sora's. As he was just about to close the distance,he paused with hesitance."Not now."

It took all his willpower to move away from Sora. As he stood up,he gave one more look towards Sora,watching her sleeping peacefully. He smiled gently again,feeling warmth pooling in his chest.

"I'll be back,my queen. I need you by my side,just as how you will need me by yours eventually."

* * *

[Sorry for the long update,and any inconsistency you see in the characters! I'm quite bad at being consistent,so yeah. In any case,I would usually be able to update every week or latest once every two weeks,if nothing else comes up(and provided my mom does not take away my phone).]


	5. Sora's Conflict

**Episode 5: Sora's Conflict**

"Ah,I'm so sor-Suzumoto-san?"

"Wakahisa-kun?"

In the middle of the library aisle,the pair had accidentally clashed while aiming for the same book. Rie immediately moved away slightly from the taller male,glancing away in embarrassment. What a nice coincidence do see him at school again,especially at such a decent setting.

Rie mentally slapped herself. She could not let her own feelings make her waver like that.

"Sorry,did you want the book?"Yuudai asked,holding out a Mathematics Strategies book. He smiled sheepishly."I didn't need it that much; I was just looking for something to read."

Nervously,Rie took the book from him and clutched it to her chest,thanking him. Before she had realised it,they were seated beside each other at the study table,with Yuudai coaching her for mathematics.

 _Isn't this situation dangerous?!_

"Are you okay,Suzumoto-san?"Yuudai asked. With the way he tried to put some distance between them every tine,Rie knew that he was just as nervous as she was,probably for a different reason.

Rie nodded. A gasp suddenly left her as she recalled something,immediately rummaging through her back. Soon,an envelope was in his hand. Straightening herself,Rie tried to look convincing."It's my brother's birthday in two days' time. I don't really have that many people to invite,so please come over. It'll be awkward for me if only my brothers' friends and our relatives are there."

Nervousness was pooling inside her. The way Yuudai stared at the invitation envelop only made her more anxious. He was definitely hesitant. Had she tried to push things between them too quickly?

"I have no problem coming over-"

 _Yes!_

"-but that means I'll have to bring Ametsuchi with me. I'm her partner after all."

 _...This is the worst day ever._

* * *

Sliding the door open,Yuudai peered in to see whether Sora was in the room. As usual,she was sitting at her desk,doing whatever work she had. It was the first time he had went into the room,but he had always been observing her,so he knew. Though for some reason,she seemed much busier than usual.

"Ametsuchi,are you free this Sunday?"Yuudai asked. He placed the invitation card on the desk. "Suzumoto-san invited us over for her brother's birthday celebration."

Sora paused in her work,staring at the envelop. Yuudai wondered what she was thinking. He had expected her to give a "no" immediately,or give a quick sarcastic remark.

"Birthday,huh?"Sora muttered."I wonder if it'll be worth going."

 _Forget it._

Yuudai frowned. Why must Sora be so negative about everything besides herself? "What was that supposed to mean?"

"You can go alone. I'll see what happens,"Sora decided."I'm busy,so please leave."

Yuudai gritted his teeth in irritation. Sora was so self-centered,only caring about herself. She always seemed to think of herself better than others. He hated that side of her. Even her acts of kindness never seemed sincere.

"You have Kougami-san to help you,right? You should be free like always,"Yuudai retorted."If you just want to be alone as you always are,just tell me! No one wanted to be in your company anyway."

With that,Yuudai stormed out of the room in fury.

Sora set down her pen,staring at the paper as a cold expression took over. She stood up and walked over to the desk nearest to hers,letting her fingers trace over its edges as memories filled her mind. Sora's breathing shook for a moment,her hands trembling. Biting her lower lip,Sora tried to calm herself down. But she could not do it this time.

All alone in the room with no one to see her,Sora let herself go for once,her shoulders shaking as she covered her mouth to muffle her sobs.

"All set. Just to set them up early on Sunday before he gets back."

"S-Sorry,I didn't do much…"

Rie shook her head eagerly. Obviously she would more than happy to let Yuudai help her out. And indeed he helped her more than she needed. Such a fine man he was,for someone who rarely had any experience around females.

"You did more than enough,Wakahisa-kun,"Rie smiled. Once she said it,she noticed Yuudai's reaction,her heart palpitating."Are you blushing just because of that?"

"Shut up,"Yuudai grumbled,though he did not sound too serious. Rather,he sounded embarrassed as he looked away. Eager to change the topic,he quickly brought in the bought items into the house - _Rie's_ house.

As Yuudai put down the items at the counter table beside the stairs by the living room,Rie proceeded to the kitchen at the opposite direction to get some drinks for herself and her guest. Soon they found themselves settling down and digging into some snacks Rie had served as well at the low table in the living room.

In the meantime,they discussed the arrangement of decorations,the snacks and food to be served,the music to be played,and most importantly,the birthday cake. In the end,they decided to buy the cake last or else something might go wrong,like someone else eating it or something.

"I'll see you again tomorrow then,"Yuudai decided. But when he was about to get up,he remembered something."Ah,I need to ask you something. Did you know about Ametsuchi before all this?"

Rie blinked."Kind of. I heard rumors,but I had never seen her until my vision of the future appeared. Though,I know that the school became way better than before right when she took over. I felt the drastic change. It was chaotic for a while,but it was all settled quickly."

"What about friends?"Yuudai asked.

Rie shrugged and sighed."I'll be surprised if she had friends. So far,I've never heard of anyone claiming to be her friend. Except Kougami Rin. Kougami-san's the closest to her,at least the one I know of."

Yuudai thought for a moment. When he recalled the past events,he realised how Sora had went far just to save Rin,although she had not seemed to be bothered by it. Was it all a facade? No matter what,she was a normal girl. Doing something that even looks like killing would be scary - especially if it was someone close. And why would Sora go all the way to Rin's past that time? What did she want to change? Was it really just to make Rin a better person?

"Wait,"Yuudai froze."Have you seen Kougami-san lately?"

"Not really. It's strange,though. She would usually come by our classes everyday to collect things from the class representatives,"Rie noted. Realisation soon hit her,and her eyes widened."Wait,don't tell me…"

"At this time,Kougami-san was never in this school in the first place,"Yuudai ended her sentence. How could he have not noticed? That fact was all strange by itself. How was he unable to notice such an obvious thing after so long since the incident? Was it Sora's work again?

And he had said all those things to her.

Sora was all alone - he realised now.

"Sorry,Suzumoto-san. I go somewhere right now,"Yuudai apologised as he stood up abruptly,rushing for the door."Thanks for the time today."

Before Rie could say anything,Yuudai had closed the door and left,leaving her dumbfounded. Once again,her thoughts trailed to the legendary Cure Decade.

 _I can never understand the way you think._

* * *

Alice trembled under the cold gaze. It had always been scary to face her current leader,but this time he seemed to be much more threatening than usual. Did something happen? Certainly,he would never be that way unless it had something to do with Cure Decade.

"This time,I need you to do it quickly,"Willihard ordered."Kill the boy."

"...Yes,Mi'Lord,"Alice bowed."Forgive me for asking,but should I try to get the-"

"Not necessary. Her time is not ripe yet,"Willihard cut in."Besides, _I_ will be the one to get her."

* * *

Strolling in the streets was a thing Sora always did on Saturdays. She enjoyed looking at how people slowly start to come in and spend their weekends the way they wanted. There was no fuss or whatever. She disliked being in the group itself,but she had always felt relief seeing the entire picture. It was so peaceful,and to a certain extent,she felt a tinge of happiness. Seeing everyone smile as they bonded and had fun made her want to see the sight more.

Never would she want to see this image gone.

As she walked past by several shops,one did attract her attention. She stared into the window,taking in the appetizing sight - she could even smell the sweet scent of flour and cream. Looking at the different styles,she took note of the shops name. Perhaps she should come by next time. Suddenly,she saw something in the mirror.

"This is…"

* * *

Yuudai sighed as he settled onto the bench. The cool breeze,the beautiful nature that displayed a mix of blue and green,the few families spending time together,the sound of happy children laughing - It all reminded him of his home. Jigen was always so peaceful,even at this time. He wished he could return back. However,he had his duty as a guide to Cure Decade.

"Decade...Ametsuchi…"he muttered. He kept recalling their previous argument. Sora definitely hated him ever since then. What if she took him as an enemy now? That would be dangerous.

No,no. Sora was definitely not the type to make him a target because of that. No matter what she felt,she would always put her responsibility first.

After all,that was what she did about Kougami Rin.

"I shouldn't have made her a Cure,"he said to himself.

"True. She belongs to us anyway."

Yuudai's eyes widened at the new voice. Jerking backwards and moving away,he turned to see Alice standing before him. She seemed to have taken a more humanized form like Willihard did. However,with her weapon in her hand,she did not appear less dangerous.

"Be silent and stay put,kid,"Alice growled.

"Huh?!You're a kid too,and a younger one at that!"Yuudai argued. He shook his head quickly."That's not important. Why-"

He gasped when Alice thrust her spear forward. She was too fast. There was no way he could run away. His dodges barely saved him. She grazed his sides,causing him to bleed. At this rate,she would kill him easily. Yuudai braced himself as Alice gave one more quick thrust.

However,the stab never came.

Sora stood infront of him as her usual self,her hand grasping the handle of the weapon. Her hand was tensed as her grip simply got stronger. Even Alice was shivering at the presence of the girl. If even Alice was afraid,just how dangerous and fearful was Sora?

"Are you going against me,Alice? I thought I told you to let him go,"Sora demanded."Do _not_ dare to defy me."

"F-Forgive me,"Alice stuttered.

Yuudai watched as the scene unfold. With the way Sora had talked to Alice,it was as if she had accepted being the Yami-borei's leader. However,at the same time,they were on different grounds. Perhaps Sora was just using their loyalty to her advantage.

"I don't see you acting on your own,"Sora guessed."Willihard ordered you to do it,right?What was the reason?"

Alice shook her head."He never told me. But I'm guessing that the boy did something to you. Mi'Lord never makes a move that has nothing to do with you."

 _Was it because of our argument?_

Sora chuckled to herself. By now,she had guessed the kind of people Alice and Willihard were. They were nothing more than her loyal servants. Though,there might possibly be more to it for Willihard. Nonetheless,they would never go against her. Not Alice,at the very least.

"If you really want to get him,you have to go past me,"Sora challenged.

Alice's eyes glinted with excitement,her fangs showing through her grin."Is that an invitation for another duel,my queen?"

Sora returned her malicious grin."Certainly."

And so their battle began.

This time,Alice did not hold back to summon a Yami-borei but thankfully she had not pulled it out of anyone,or else Sora would have to travel to the past again. While Sora liked to think that she was not playing fair,it would be unfair being unable to use a certain ability in the first place. Besides,she can prove her prowess by defeating the two-

" **Destiny Kick!** "

The familiar voice made Sora flinch. Even Alice was confused for a second. The Yami-borei flew back as Rie landed a harsh blow,crashing back into several lamposts and trees. Rie stood beside Decade,giving a glare.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?!"Rie demanded. Sora rolled her eyes as though she had expected the reaction,and it only got Rie riled up further. Rie pulled on Sora's collar,tugging on it roughly."Remember this,Decade. Do _not_ ever for once think that this entire thing is just a game. If you're really not a destroyer,listen to-"

In a split second,Rie found herself as the other end of the park,and was even sent flying further into a building. Sora merely stood at where she was before,her knee raised to her chest. Alice wanted to congratulate her. She was truly impresed. However,when she had turned,Sora's expression made more fear overwhelm her.

Sora walked slowly towards where Rie was,the sound of clopping heels echoing through the area. As Rie tried to get out of the rubble,she gave a look to Sora to counter,but suddenly a jolt rushed through her and she instantly found herself trembling with fear.

"I do not listen to anyone,"Sora began."You should not be here. You are the one thinking this is just a game,coming here and forgetting what you are really needed for. I do not need you to meddle with my fight. I said it before,right? If you jump in,I will kill you first."

As she said those words,Sora's brow twitched as a surge of sharp pain ran through her. A bead of sweat trickled down her brow,and she simply pretended not to notice. There was no way that the side effect could have shown itself already. She had not even used her time manipulation ability even once that day. What if it was not a side effect,but was caused by something else?

Nevertheless,Sora held out her hand,and it glowed as her Momentum Blade took place. Glaring down at her rival,Sora pressed the tip of the blade onto Rie's throat,drawing blood. For some reason,right after the pain came,it was replaced with a new sensation. It could be called exhilaration,but it was not too accurate. It was more like…

 ** _Blood lust_**.

What was going on? Sora could not remember. Her mind was fuzzy,and everything was happening so fast. All she knew was that she was moving quickly. But why? Who was around her? Where was she? All those questions popped up in her mind,but none could be answered. She heard voices calling out to her but she could not decipher the words.

That is,except one person's voice.

" _ **Ametsuchi Sora!**_ "

* * *

"Suzumoto-san!Hey,Suzumoto-san!"

Rie woke to the panicked voice,only to be momentarily blinded by bright light. When her vision cleared,she found herself staring at the ceiling and curtains at the corner of her eyes. Looking around,she noticed that she was on a bed. At her other side,she saw Yuudai clutching tight onto her hand.

"What happened?"

Rie tried to sit up,but the jerking movement caused a stabbing pain to hit her. Her vision suddenly went white as flashbacks clouded her mind. She remembered everything. Her battle with - no,she could not even call it a battle. It was just her recieving a harsh beating.

Rie trembled as fear overwhelmed her. She clutched tightly onto Yuudai,tears streaming down her face. She could still feel it. The way Sora slashed at her,punched her,kicked her,and even stabbed her. Every time she was stabbed,Sora would use her time manipulation to undo the wounds and do it once again. It all happened so fast,yet it felt like an eternity of painful torture. And the smile on her face back then…

"Rie,it's just you and me now."

The girl gasped and panted as she returned to reality. Yuudai had his arms around her,his face full of worry. Relief washed over her when she felt the warmth enveloping her. Yet,she felt sick.

Why must this happen? It was all because of one girl. And it was becoming more of a battle between couples. How stupid was that? What was the point of all this? It would have made more sense if it was a big force against her,not just an obsessed man chasing after an antisocial girl.

"By the way,did you just call me _Rie_?"

Yuudai flinched and looked away quickly,covering his mouth. Was he blushing? Nevertheless,he apologised profusely and only stopped when Rie told him that it was fine. Rie giggled at his flustered behavior,causing to feel more embarrassed.

"Well,can I call you _Yuudai_ then?"she asked. When Yuudai stared at her,she thought she had gone too far. However,he placed a hand on her head,stroking her hair gently.

"Anything's fine. Just get well soon,Rie,"he told her. His voice was so gentle and calming it nearly brought Rie to tears again. She was ready for any battle against the Yami-borei,but not this. It was supposed to be a regular magical girl situation for her,not some romance story going on.

It was way more painful than her fight against Sora.

* * *

"Happy birthday and congratulations on recovering!"

Everyone applauded as the door opened and confetti was immediately everywhere. Rie and her brother stood side-by-side,too surprised to process everything for a moment. Her brother - Suzumoto Riku - had decided to fetch her back home right on the way home. They had returned together,only to be greeted by a party in their home.

Rie jolted as she remembered something."A-Ah,Riku-nii,sorry because I haven't bought the cake-"

"Here it is!"

Rie only stared and went along with the flow as the birthday cake was presented,and together the siblings cut the cake. While they were all having fun together,she faced her mother."Mom,did you buy the cake?"

"I didn't. I thought you did,"Mrs. Suzumoto shook her head. As she reached for her pocket,she continued,"But someone else did,fortunately. Or else we wouldn't have gotten a cake. I think it's from your friend. There's even a letter."

"Yuudai?"Rie blinked. She glanced at her friend who was standing nearby,but he shrugged in denial. If it was not him,then who-

Rie held out a hand."Give me the letter."

Although confused,her mother simply handed her the letter. Rie pulled Yuudai out from the side and together they went to the balcony where they could be alone. It was a night only lit up by stars and the moon. But Rie did not stop to admire it. Hastily,she tore the envelope open and unfolded the paper in her hands.

Rie's eyes widened as she read through the contents. How cruel. How could someone play with her heart so easily? At one moment she thought she had made the best friend she would ever have,but the next she would be facing an enemy instead. But afterwards,one small action would make her want to forget everything.

Yuudai read the letter as well,and he simply silently held Rie's hand. The letter read:

 _Be grateful that I got it on time. Happy Birthday to your brother,Suzumoto._

There was no name written on it,but it was obvious whose letter it was. The cocky tone,yet holding a gentle and kind form in itself. It was definitely Ametsuchi Sora's words.

Yuudai glanced away painfully."She's so cruel,huh? It'll be better if she had been a Yami-borei instead."

* * *

[Finally finished another chapter! I'm so sorry for not posting this in awhile;examinations have been going on lately and is still going on now,aside from other things. And about this chapter,I know I'm straying off from how typical a Precure season should,but I hope I'll get back on track eventually. I really tried,I promise. And while you might have noticed that this was based off from the Kamen Rider series,I actually only used it as a base of inspiration and built on the plot on my own,which explains why it sucks so much. XDD ]


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